


Horrortale - Rotten Apple

by Myfanwi



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Axetale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Angst, Aromantic Sans (Undertale), Dead Asgore Dreemurr, Drama, F/F, Gen, Gender-Neutral Frisk (Undertale), HorrorTale Sans, HorrorTale Toriel (Undertale), Horrortale Papyrus (Undertale), Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Nonbinary Frisk (Undertale), Papyrus (Undertale) Knows More Than He Lets On, Papyrus (Undertale) Needs a Hug, Queen Toriel (Undertale), Sans (Undertale) Needs a Hug, Verbal Frisk (Undertale)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:08:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29719053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myfanwi/pseuds/Myfanwi
Summary: After years of lock down under Mont Ebott, the Monsters thought that Frisk's fall would finally put an end to their miserable life. Because they was pacifist, everyone thought freedom closer than ever. But Asgore's murder deadly hit every last piece of their hopes and dreams.The events are getting out of control. Undyne and Toriel engaged a no-mercy fight to get the throne, each one with extreme opposite ideas. If the old queen wish for peace to come back, Undyne, traumatised by her mentor's death, only wants a war that would sign the end of humanity.Far away from all these politics, Sans is waiting. He knows that Frisk never would have kill Asgore on purpose and that they are far from the horrible monster described by Undyne in her destructive propaganda. For the first time in a while, he's still holding on the promise the kid made : coming back to break the Barrier. That dangerous way of thinking might cost him everything he ever had down here.But the day the CORE stopped working, all of them will have to make dangerous choices despite friendships and betrayals. Down here, it's walk or die.
Relationships: Alphys & Undyne (Undertale), Alphys/Undyne (Undertale)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue : Before the end of the world

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome reader !
> 
> You’re about to read Horrortale : Rotten Apple, an Undertale AU fanfiction. Horrortale is an alternate universe I love very much. It’s qualitative, with strong topics and strong characters. 
> 
> I decided to write my own version of this universe, and more exactly a story that would englobed what happened before, during and after Horrortale. This is so a long story, in several parts. I hope you will like it !
> 
> This story is inspired by Sour-Apple Studios version of the story, of course, but also of some headcanons, some mine, some from the community. The cover of the story was done by Zeragii, the creator of the comic Deeper Down, for a commission I asked her a while ago <3 She is so cool and talented, don’t forget to go check her art, just as for Sour-Apple-Studios work ! That’s two very good stories and they are definitely must-read !
> 
> Big warning : Horrortale is not a happy fluffy world. It’s violent, it’s gore and it’s dark. There will be mention of eating humans, cutting organic stuff, power abuse, breach of trust, and many other subjects. I highly not recommend this story to underage readers and sensitive ones that could be hurt by some subjects that will be approach in this story.
> 
> Last little information : English is not my native language. I’m French :) Sorry if my English is weird or bad sometimes, I’m doing my best but, well, English lessons are not really good in French universities, so complain to them :’) My DMs are opened if someone eventually want to correct the chapters before :D I’m always happy to talk to new people !
> 
> Well, let’s go then :D I hope you will enjoy the story !
> 
> Myfanwi.

###  **PROLOGUE : BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD**

Long ago, two races ruled other world : humans and monsters. One day, a war broke out between both species. After years of fighting and millions of deaths, monsters were defeated. The humans sealed them insinde of Mont Ebott with a magic spell, an impassable magic barrier. The only way to enter or exit it was to absorb a human or a monster soul, or, for breaking it definitely, to use the power of seven humans souls. 

Years later, a human child named Chara, pushed by the hatred and the fear of humankind, fell by accident in what the monsters were now calling the Underground Kingdom. The child only found here compassion and happiness, along with a new family : King Asgore Dreemur, his wife, Toriel, and their son, Asriel. Quickly, the young prince and the human became like siblings. But one day, the human child fell very ill, and, after days of agony, died. In their last moments, Chara asked Asriel to take their body outside the barrier, because they wanted to see one last time the flowers of their village. The night that followed, Asriel obeyed and traveled through the barrier thanks to Chara soul. When the humans saw him, they thought he had killed the child and attacked him without a warning. The prince didn’t fought back. He quietly took back Chara’s body inside the mountain, before he himself dusted in the middle of the royal garden. 

The King and the Queen lost two children in one night. Blinded by guilt and sadness, King Asgore ordored that every human who fell in the Underground die and that their soul had to be collected, so that, with seven of them, he could break the Barrier get revenge for his son’s murder. Queen Toriel, shocked by all the hate spreading across her people, ran away, no where to be seen ever again. During two centuries, six humans souls were collected in the Mountain. Everyone was waiting for the seventh and last to come.

And one day, it happened. But this child was not like the others. They never hurt a single monster. They never wanted to fight. Intead, they restored confidence to those who needed it the most, they make friends on the road and, in the end, everyone thought that, maybe, they could succeed where others didn’t : free monster kind peacefully. However, to leave the Underground, they had to fight Asgore and make a choice : leave the King take their soul… Or give theirs.

Against all odds, the kid showed no mercy and took Asgore’s soul without a regret. Then, they betrayed everyone by destroying the six souls. When Undyne came back to the palace, all she found was a pile of dust. The souls were gone. Asgore was dead. The child was gone.

At least, that’s what the official story said. One tiny skeleton named Sans never trusted the version of Captain Undyne. He knew that something much darker was following the child. But how to prove it without passing himself for their partner in crimes ? He was sure the human would come back. He was always coming back. The sooner would be the better. The kid showed him that there was still a reason to hope, and he was rooting for him.

Yeah, for once, just for once, Sans didn’t give up. And this is where our story started.


	2. Chapter 1 : The King is dead, long live the Queen !

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something bad is happening in the Underground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go ! I hope you will enjoy the story :D

#  **PART 1 : HERESY**

****

###    
**Chapter 1 : The King is dead, long live the Queen !**

The echo flowers were repeating the same word over and over everywhere around her in a dramatic tone. Maybe they knew too.

"Hello ? King Asgore Dreemur, here. I am not available at the moment, but you can leave me a message, or, if it’s an emergency, call Captain Undyne for help. See you soon ! Here, do you think it’s ok enough ? Oh. Oh ? Undyne ? I think that’s still recording. How do you stop it again ?"

Undyne aimed a dark gaze to the flower who pronounced that sentence again and crushed it under her foot with no mercy. She barely noticed Papyrus trotting behind her. The poor skeleton was desperately trying to catch up, out of breath despite his lack of lungs. But Undyne didn’t have time for him right now.

Something was wrong. She could feel it in the air. That was now forty minutes she was attempting to call Asgore on his phone, to know how his encounter with the human had gone. Except he wasn’t answering no more. The Kind was kinda lunatic sometimes, but he never played dead for so long before, especially when it was her who was trying to reach him. Undyne started to fear something bad happened and she was badly worry.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Without stopping, she took it out and picked up.

"Un-Undyne ? That’s Alphys. Y-you have to go to the p-palace as quick as you c-can. Sans will explain y-you, he is already there. Oh… And Undyne ? Y-you’ll have to be s-strong."

Her stomach clenched. Alphys hung up immediately, abandoning her with her trembling legs in the middle of the path. She didn’t need to go to understand. She knew what she would find there.

The human had killed Asgore.

************

Sans had decided to follow the kid and the King fight from not to far away, in case something went wrong. He had made a promise after all, and what kind of skeleton would he be if he would have let the child get kill at the last minute after all the hard work he had to do to lead them here in the first place ?

However, he woke up much later, the head heavy like some truck passed on it. Firstly, he thought that was a strange return in the past like it happened several times since the human was here, except this time, he couldn’t remember anything about it. He couldn’t have just fall asleep, isn’t it ? He was tired, but not at this point.

In the Judgement Hall, the birds were singing a melancholic song, as to warn him that something was wrong. It took a few seconds before he understood there were no fights sounds anymore. That was worrying. Quietly, Sans entered the throne room. He passed next to the golden flowers parterre and the throne to join as quickly as possible the magic barrier. 

First bad news : it was still here. He could hear it vrombing from the hallway. The second bad news was far more surprising. In the room, in the middle of some white dust was laying Asgore’s cape and trident. The souls containers of the previous children captured were broken on the ground and Frisk had disappeared. His first reflex was to laugh nervously, before he realised what just happened. The King was dead. The kid was gone. Could they have kill him ? That wasn’t making any sense. The child never raised their hand on anything before. Something must have happened. Something must have necessarily happened. Frisk wasn’t a murderer. He judged them, he knew it.

Then what ? What he was seeing was just sort of staging ? All evidences was there, right in front of his eyesockets. There was no one there and no monsters would have raised against Asgore. His legs shook and he fell on his knees, hands on his head. What if he had done a mistake ? What if he was responsible to have let that kid do this ? He thought he was clever by protecting the human, and now the reality caught him up : no human was good. It was them, the true monsters. And Frisk was one of them.

He didn’t know how long he stared at the emptiness, torn between guilt, anger, incomprehension and tiredness. He helped this human to survive for nothing. Frisk not only betrayed him, but all of the monsterkind and forced him to be their partner in this madness. And now that the souls were gone, what were they going to do ? There was no hope they could ever be free. They were all gonna die down there.

Footsteps approached behind him. Undyne tumbled in the room and froze in horror in front of the leftovers of the King. She sobbed loudly, then she turned back, fists tightened, and abandoned the skeleton to his silent contemplation. Sans ignored her. He was giving up anyway, nothing mattered no more.

"Sans ?" called a familiar voice. "What are you doing all alone here ? What are… What is…"

The skeleton turned his head towards his brother. Well, he was wrong. Nothing mattered except him. Papyrus stared at the dust. Sans could see the betrayal ravaged his face in an instant. It broke Sans heart in seconds. His brother was nice and a bit of a dreamer, but he was not an idiot. He understood at first sight.

Slowly, Papyrus approached and cross-legged sat next to him. The two brothers said nothing for several minutes, before Papyrus speaked with a low voice that reflected his sadness.

"Sans… I don’t get it. Did we do something wrong so they become like... that ?"

"This is not your fault, bro. That’s no one fault but mine. I let them go."

"Sans… Don’t say that, that’s not true."

"But it is true. Listen, I… I don’t understand either. I thought this was it, that they were getting us all out of here… But maybe I was wrong. I never should have let him go. I should have kill him the moment I saw him in Snowdin."

"You’re not thinking what you’re saying. You are just angry, brother. Frisk would never have hurt Asgore intentionally. Maybe we’re just missing something. Maybe that’s some sort of puzzle. We have to search for answers. The Great Papyrus won’t accept defeat as an answer."

The skeleton got up and approached Asgore’s leftovers. Papyrus lifted the cape with precaution. A white piece of paper fell of it, on which were scribble some words. Sans eyes shined a little stronger in interest. He held his breath as his brother started reading out loud.

"Sans, if you find this message, please, keep it for yourself. You were right at Grillby’s. There was a yellow flower who talked and influenced Papyrus. His name is Flowey. He killed Asgore and ran away. I’m going to search for help outside. Please, keep an eye on Flowey and don’t let him manipulate someone else. He is dangerous. I’ll explain you everything when I’m coming back. I promise you I am coming back. Please don’t give up, because someone really cares about you. See you soon. Frisk."

Papyrus lowered the piece of paper to look at his brother. Sans got up, still agitated, but he seemed a lot more relieved. The younger of the two was puzzled.

"What Flowey has to do with this mess ? I… I mean I know you told me not to talk to him, and I didn’t, well, I kinda did to be honest" he said with a guilty face. "But it’s a friend. I don’t think he can do something as horrible as killing the King."

"Oh, brother…" sighed Sans. "I think he’s just playing with you. It’s just a game for him, but in the end, a lot of people could be hurt. But right now, I really don’t care, because Frisk didn’t kill Asgore and they didn’t leave us behind."

"An other victory for the Great Papyrus."

"Yes, you’re the coolest, bro. But now, we have to warn… The others, but none of them will believe us… I know the kid is telling the truth, but just this paper won’t be enough to prove it. Undyne will not let this pass. As captain of the Royal Guard, the throne is rightfully hers. But… I’m not sure that’s a good idea."

"Why ? Undyne is nice."

"Undyne is even more extreme than Asgore. If we get her as a Queen, we’re going straight towards a war. Have you look at us ? None of us could survive facing humans. That’s not a good idea."

"But… Do we have an other candidate then ?"

"No… Well… Maybe."

A slight smile lightened his face.

"What do you mean by “maybe” ?" asked Papyrus. "Do we have a candidate or not ?"

"Pap’, I’ve got a very important mission for you. You are gonna run after Undyne and hold her back as long as possible. Do not let her organize the Council under any circumstances. Don’t let her go to Alphys either. The law says that the Council to elect a new monarch must count every member of it, and I count on you to remember that. Because I’m one of these members, bro."

"Since when ? All this time you knew Asgore personally and you said nothing ?" moaned Papyrus, outraged. 

"Long story short : it was too tiring. Now please trust me, I won’t take long. I know who could do a better Queen than Undyne, but I need some time to convince them."

Papyrus’ face tinted with worry. He swayed from one foot to the other.

"I can try but I don’t know if she will listen to me. I heard her talk with Frisk sooner. She said… She said that I won’t enter the Royal Guard anytime soon."

"Bro, you have a sixty-four pages notebook of reasons to prove her that she’s wrong. Why won’t you read it to her right now ? I promise we’re gonna arrange that once things will be more calm, ok ?"

"Ok… Oh, and Sans ? Be careful, please. You used a lot of magic today and you know it’s dangerous for you. I know that’s what I’m gonna say is very ironic, but, please, slow down for a bit, will you ?"

"Eh, don’t worry, bro. I’ve got thick skull."

Papyrus rolled his eyes, and that was remarkably since he didn’t have ones. After a last hug, Papyrus ran toward the direction Undyne took a while ago. 

Sans waited a few seconds to make sure he was gone, then opened one of his shortcut. He appeared soon after in front of the huge locked door that was leading to the Ruins.He took a breath then knocked two times against it.

"Knock, knock !"

He stayed immobile a few seconds. As he dreaded, no one answered. But he knew she was there. He couldn’t explain how, but he could feel she was listening anyway.

"Not in the mood, eh ? I understand. But I think what I’m about to tell you will make you happy. The kid crossed the barrier, they’re fine. Asgore didn’t kill them. But instead, well… That’s a long story. Funny story, though, the kid kinda accidentally dropped your true identity, your Majesty. I didn’t make the link at first, but now, it seemed pretty logical. Old Lady… Asgore is dead, but Frisk didn’t murder him. However, in a few hours, everyone will think otherwise. I know what I’m gonna ask you is a lot, but… I need someone that could convince them. I could do it, but I doubt the Council will take me seriously. I’m no one for the Capitole. But you…"

"Frisk is really gone ? Are you sure of it ? Are they safe ?"

"Eh, a promise is a promise, right ? The kid is far away, but they said they were coming back with help to break the Barrier. For once, I want to believe them, not you ? All I need is time so monsterkind doesn’t try to kill them at sight next time they visit. Are you with me ?"

The door unlocked. A white goat head passed quietly the doorstep. Toriel Dreemur, eyes misted with tears, smiled frankly to Sans. The skeleton blushed lightly, not sure it was a good idea anymore. 

"Come in, my dear friend. I have to get a few things before we go." 

Sans nodded and followed her inside the Ruins.


	3. Chapter 2 : Fallen angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, out of the Underground, Frisk is running towards the city with an important mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ! We continue our little story with Frisk point of view :D Things are already getting bad...

###  _ **Chapter 2 : Fallen angel** _

Frisk was running. They were hitting the slopes as fast as they legs could hold them, avoiding in their rush the branches and stones that could have make them fall. They had to go back to the city, find help and go back to the Mountain as soon as possible. They felt guilty they had to leave without warning at least Sans or Alphys. At the end of their fight against Flowey, they knew they couldn’t go back. With Asgore dead, no one would have trust him. They had to prove themself and get help. This was the last thing they could do now.

Only reassurance, this time, Frisk was not alone. To pass the Barrier, they had no more option that absorb the King’s soul. As a side effect of this operation, Asgore’s ghost was now following him, able to talk in his head just like Chara. The two phantoms were still celebrating their reunion, even if that’s certainly wasn’t the way the old monarch imagined them. Frisk didn’t have the time yet to apologize to him for what happened. It didn’t seem to bother Asgore anyway. With the King help, Frisk hoped they could free the Monsters once and for all. 

However, when the city appeared in their sight, Frisk slowed gradually down, as a dull anguish took over their own soul. There was something they didn’t predict in their last hope plan : here, in the middle of humanity, Frisk was no one. Even worst, they were unwanted. They stopped at the edge of the forest and stood still for a while, watching what was in front of them. The kid felt a presence behind him and turned their head to them. Chara took back their ghost form, with their eternal green and yellow sweater. They was not alone anymore. Asgore was next to them, floating a few inches above the ground. 

“Why are we stopping ?” asked Chara. “Frisk ! There’s no time to loose !”

“I… I know, but…” They took a breath. “Here, that’s not the Underground, Chara. There is a reason I came to get lost on Mont Ebott. And that reason is that… I’m not Frisk here. At the orphanage, the nuns… They never wanted to call me that. And since I struggle, they decided I was an unrecoverable case and wanted to sacrifice me to their God or something. I ran away the day they locked me up and then… Well, you already know what’s next.”

Chara stayed silent for a bit before they smiled at them. Asgore, horrified, looked down, also silent. Still disturbed by his new condition, he still had difficulties to understand that the kid has been guiding by his dead child this all time, and was now discovering that the Surface was not a nice place either. It was a lot to take in, even for him. Chara stepped forward and poked Frisk cheek in an attempt to cheer them up.

“I know what it does to feel different among your own people.” they said with a softer voice. “There’s also a reason I climb the Mountain. But for now, what matters is that everyone is counting on us. Toriel, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys… And even that damn ugly comedian and his awful jokes. We already walked a long way you and I, you have to succeed where I didn’t. Save them. For me. For Dad.”

“They’re right”, interrupted Asgore. “You can’t give up just yet, Frisk. You are the hope of my people.”

Frisk bites their lips and nodded. They were right. They were not here for him but for monsterkind. After all, if they had to listen to themselves, they would have stay under Mont Ebott forever, even if it meaned to die there. But the monsters didn’t bear the imprisonment anymore, they’re had enough to undergo their daily similar life and was now only dreaming of freedom, even more since Frisk fell. The desire to save them and to fight for a right cause filled their soul with determination. After a last gaze for the huge mountain behind them, Frisk walked hesitantly towards the city.

The town was terribly deadpan. After all they discovered under Mont Ebott, the old concrete buildings seemed dull, boring and sad. It was still early, almost seven o’clock of the morning, Frisk learned while looking at the big clock which surmounted the town hall, and still, the traffic was already important. The cars were driving without caring of this lonely child, even if, times to times, one insistent gaze meet theirs. There was plenty reasons to worry about them anyway, Frisk didn’t look good. Their pants were torn below their knees, one of their sweater sleeves hung miserably, open in two parts, and they had huge bags under their eyes. The Underground’s trip had left some traces. 

Frisk wandered aimlessly in the streets for two hours, not really sure of what to do, before a chubby lady finally noticed them as they were walking in front of her bakery.

“Good morning, sweetheart.” she said, squatting next to them. “I saw you walk the block for some times, now. Are you ok ? Are you lost ?”

Frisk lowered the head, shy. Chara vigorously cheered them behind, but it didn’t make it easier. How to bring the subject of monsters without looking themself crazy ? A few days ago, they didn’t know what monsters were either ! But they knew too that on the Surface, children’s imagination was considered as an excentricity for adult’s eyes. Nobody would believe them. And however, they couldn’t let their chance go so quick. The lady really wanted to help them !

“I… I came back from Mont Ebott.” they answered with low insurance. I fell in the Mountain and I met some m… some people there. They need help, they are stuck, and they send me get help.”

That was nor a lie, nor entirely the truth, but Frisk hoped it would be enough to persuade her to help them. The baker eyes widened with surprise. She got up, then hesitated, then returned inside her shop. Frisk followed her with determination. She wanted to help, they could feel it. 

The bakery smelled warm bread and candies. The child’s tummy gurgled at the simple thought they didn’t eat something hot for some times now. Papyrus’ spaghettis were still on their stomach, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t any place for a hot croissant or a cup of hot chocolate. Their heart hurt when they perceived a big pie behind the shopwindow that remind them so badly Toriel’s one. Did she know they left the Underground ? If Sans found their message, maybe he talked to her already. Frisk had tried to call Papyrus outside of the mountain, but the magic network didn’t work once they crossed the Barrier. Frisk hoped they were all alright.

The baker came and went in the kitchen, phone in her hand. Frisk couldn’t catch all she said, but they captured the essential : police officers were coming to know more and take them in charge. She hung up and smiled to them to reassure the child. She made them entered the kitchen and gave them a croissant to make them wait. Enthousiast, Frisk bite in it with high relief, avoiding the envy gaze of Chara and Asgore’s one too insistent. Some customers asked for the baker and she left them by their own for a while. 

“That’s a good start” cheered Chara, once she were out of sight. “I don’t know if the police can really help us, but we can still try.”

“The police… Is that the Royal Guard from the Surface ?” asked Asgore politely.

“More or less.” answered Frisk. “They don’t have spears like Undyne.”

“And they are usually not running after children to kill them”, mocked their ghost double.

“I see.”

He lowered his eyes, still feeling guilty about how almost every monsters tried to kill Frisk. The child really wanted to pat his shoulder, but just like with Chara, their hand would pass through his ghost body. If only they had react sooner in the Barrier room, maybe Flowey wouldn’t have hurt him. Even if the King had done some bad thing, he didn’t deserved to finish like that. 

A siren yelled outside and pulled them out of their thoughts. The bakery door opened on two men with graying hair and a rigid face expression. The fist one had a mustache and the second a beard. Frisk immediately felt intimidated by the blue police uniforms and the gun attached to their belt. The child swallowed and stood up when they entered the kitchen. Uncomfortable, the kid stepped back to put some space between the officers and them. They didn’t like very much policemen, they were always associated with bad memories. 

“It’s the child.” said the baker lady, like it wasn’t obvious at all.

The man with the mustache crouched in front of the kid. He took back his hat and sniffed loudly. Frisk didn’t dare to meet his eyes. They could feel him scruting his body from head to toes, like they was some piece of evidence.

“Hello, kid. I’m inspector Tyler Cassano, and this guy right here is officer Frank Morris, my colleague. Miss Howze said she found you wandering in the streets and that you seemed lost. What’s your name ?”

Frisk shyly raised their head, uncertain. The first time they faced Flowey underground, they wasn’t scared at all, only curiosity. Why did they fear a “normal” human so much then ? The ghost hand of Asgore tried to pat his head to give them so courage. Frisk had to talk. They inspired, cut down a wick behind their ear and made eye contact with the wrinkled face of the inspector.

“My name is Frisk, and I need your help.”

“Alright, Frisk. How can I help you ?”

“I… I came from Mont Ebott. A few days ago, I fell into the Mountain. I found out that some… some people are stuck inside. They were kind with me, and helped me getting out, and I promised to help them getting free in return.”

The second officer took out a notebook and started scribble what the kid was saying. The face of inspector Cassano got more worry. 

“We are going to help them, don’t worry. Are they tourists ? Can you tell me how many of them there was ?”

“They are numerous, at least two hundreds. Even more.” they corrected themself after a sign from Asgore.

“Two hundred ?” the inspector wondered. “Are you sure you did count correctly ? Where are they in the Mountain ?”

“They are in all the Mountain, they lived in cities. B-But if we’re passing by where I get out, we will find somewhere to warn the others. There is Undyne, the Captain of the Royal Guard, and maybe Sans too. They will know what to do next.”

The brushy eyebrows of the man furrowed so much they almost recovered his eyes. Frisk quickly understood he didn’t believe them.

“Alright”, said Cassano with an uncertain voice. “Can you describe me that… Sans ?”

The kid thought for a while. Should they really described what he looked like ? They silently asked help to Chara and Asgore. The ghost child was biting their nails with anxiety. Asgore just nodded, like to tell him to keep talking. At least, that’s how Frisk interpreted that.

“Sans is small, but a little bigger than me. He wears a blue jacket, sport shorts and pink slippers all the time. Fluffy, the… the slippers, I mean. He’s nice and he is always making bad jokes. He kinda protected me while I was traveling underground, because the others didn’t like humans very much before I fell. But now they do, I… I think.”

“They didn’t like humans ?” the inspector repeated, confused. “What do you mean by that ?”

“They… They are not humans.” confessed Frisk with a very low voice. “They are called monsterkind and they are stuck in the Mountain because of a magic Barrier. We have to help them, they really need help.”

The inspector clicked his tong, stunned by his revelation. But that was not the tong clicking of someone who just discovered a new civilisation under the Mountain, but more the one of someone who just wasted their time. He got up and stared severely at Frisk. The kid face decomposed when they understood the officer lost interest in what they were saying. He didn’t believe them. The inspector turned towards his colleague, they share a look, then Cassano nodded.

“Listen, Frisk. I think you are going through a shock after what you lived in the Mountain. Maybe you hit your head or something…”

“No !” yelled Frisk. “Please believe me ! They are waiting for me, I can’t give up on them ! You have to help them ! Please believe me !”

“It’s enough !” he cut them off. “We don’t have only you to take care today, kid, and your story is ridiculous. You are going to come with us to the station and we’re gonna find your parents.”

“I… I don’t have parents.” they confessed, while they look away. 

The inspector softened and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry. I know a place where someone is gonna take care of you. But you still have to come with us. Forget that Mountain’s story, nobody never go there anyway, and that’s not gonna change any soon.”

He took their hand. Frisk freed themself with a knock of their shoulder. If he wasn’t believing them, well too bad, they were definitely getting back to the Mountain by themselves. They had just to go back and helped the others to find a solution. The child slipped between the legs of the inspector and rushed to the door. The fresh air filled their soul with determination and they ran towards the south, straight to the Mountain. Steps didn’t take long to be heard behind them, closer and closer. But Frisk succeeded to escape Undyne, that was not some old officers who would get them !

They almost reached the end of the street when a passerby, seeing the police officers running after the child, reflexively catch them by the sweater. Unbalanced, the child rocked forward, which allowed the officers to covered the gap between them. Inspector Cassano took their arms vigorously. Frisk struggled violently, yelling their anger and knocking everything that touched them with their feet or biting where the skin of the officer was visible.

Unfortunately, they were too weak to deal with two well-trained officers. A few seconds later, the policemen threw them in the back of a police car. He shouted, hit the windows, yelled after Toriel and Sans…

But nobody came.


	4. Chapter 3 : The Old Lady in the Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Sans is having a nice chat with an old friend, Papyrus is trying to reason Undyne. Well... This is not a pleasant meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ! Here goes our chapter 3 ! Somehow, the translation of this chapter turned out even more dramatic than in the french version krkrkr. I'm not even sorry.
> 
> Oh, and just so you know, I have a Tumblr now, which is both an askblog and a fanfic blog, it’s [Have You Seen This Skeleton ?](https://haveyouseenthisskeleton.tumblr.com/) :D Feel free to pass by :D

###  **Chapter 3 : The Old Lady of the Ruins**

Sans was one of the rare monsters to have known the Ruins, soon after monsterkind had been locked down in the Mountain. Walking in these quiet decrepit dark hallways made him feel very weird. It didn’t look like the time he lived here : everything was falling apart and a moldy smell was floating all around him. Some inconspicuous monsters were still roaming here and there : Froggits, Whimsuns… A lot of low HP monsters, just like him, who came here to search protection of the ancient Queen. Did they even know who she was ? Seeing them running away as her shadow appeared at the corner, probably.

They stopped near a huge door, which was separated the long corridor who was leading to the rest of the Underground and the Ruins. On the wall and the floor, some black spots indicated the skeleton that something had burn recently. Frisk explained to him that Toriel tried to prevent them to leave, and he could easily guess how. Usually, he was standing far away from fire magic type of monsters. Widespread around Hotlands, it was a powerful magic and able to make last damages. If some monsters were immune to it, like Undyne, a little flamme could dust him instantly in his cas.

Still silent, Toriel led him to a big staircase. She glared a moment at him to make sure her friend was still following her, then went upstairs. Sans was very surprised to find himself immediately in her home. Even if he was technically close of the monarch family at the time, he never had a chance to visit their house. Well, he was already taking care of his young brother, even if he was not orphan yet at this point, and he didn’t really have time to do these sorts of things. 

The house decoration was simple but welcoming. Family portraits and photographies recovered the walls : some of Asriel, the young fallen prince, but also Chara, his adoptive human sibling, who died the same day than him. Sans was too young to understand the gravity of the situation when the prince dusted in the royal palace garden. He noticed his neighbor’s pain and trouble, of course, but both his brother and him had been put aside, like every time something big was concerning his father’s job. He was the old royal scientist, before Alphys, but then he got forgotten from everyone except, unfortunately, Sans. 

The Queen pushed him in a cosy living-room, and made a sign towards a wood table and some chairs so he can take place and make himself at home, then she escaped towards an other room, which must had be the kitchen. A little smile lightened Sans face. Asgore’s living-room looked very similar to this one. Toriel came back with the biggest pie he had never seen and put him on the table. She cut a part that was equivalent to the height of Papyrus’ face and put it down delicately on a way too-small plate, before decorating it with whipped cream tips all around the piece of cake. Sans contemplated the pie for a while, weighing the pros and the cons of eating this before the forty pounds of his brother’s special dinner spaghettis. Oh well, he didn’t travel this far to get back with an empty stomach, right ? He took the spoon and took a large bite. That was actually far better than Papyrus cooking.

He ate for a bit in silence before shyly raising the eyesockets to cross her eyes. Despite his apparent confidence, Sans was actually very bashful with strangers, even if Toriel was far away from one at this point. He didn’t even say a word since he passed the Ruins door, like he was scared it would change something between them. He knew it was kinda stupid, but now she was facing him, she looked very intimidating. 

Fortunately, Toriel was used to speak with almost everyone and she put an end to the incipient discomfort. 

“So, my mysterious door friend is a skeleton. Well, I mean, the jokes kinda make on the track, but… Were you not all extincted by the end of the war ?”

“Eh, that’s what people keep saying me since I’m a babybones. We are the last ones, my brother and I. But I guess it give us some kind of attractivity.” he winked. “I’m pretty sure Pap’ will made women fall at his feet when he will learn how to flirt correctly. Well, if he is even into women. He kinda have a crush for Mettaton I think.”

“Mettaton ? Who’s that ?”

Sans opened eyes wide. That was true ! He didn’t see any television here. What a chance ! He was dreaming of a night when he wouldn’t here Papyrus yelled Mettaton shows answers while he was watching television during his insomnia crisis. Well… It was kinda his fault too. Younger, when he needed time to work quietly, he put Papyrus in front of the TV and the little skeleton, captivate, didn’t say a thing for a few hours. Unfortunately, when he grew up, it became obsessive and Papyrus didn’t wanted to miss one new show, as cliche, stupid and boring it was. 

“He’s… What you could call the closest of a TV presenter down here. It’s a ghost that fused with a robotic envelop created by doctor Alphys, the current royal scientist. He’s very popular since Asgore walked him everywhere in the Underground some time ago.”

“Asgore took a new royal scientist ?” she asked on a colder tone.

“Because there was one before ?” he answered innocently.

She seemed to think for a while and frowned. Sans already knew what she was going to say, but he still hoped that, maybe one day, someone could finally answered “yes” to this question. 

“I… I have to confess that I don’t know anymore. I’m here for so long now that… I didn’t even thought I would have to get out someday eventually. So, you said Asgore is…”

“Yes, unfortunately. The major problem is that, in a few hours, everyone will think that Frisk killed him. The Royal Guard captain, Undyne, is very affected by his death and I’m a bit scared she could react out of anger. I send my brother to hold her back, but I doubt that will be enough. As long as I’m here, she can’t technically do anything, but, to be honest, I would gladly prefer she don’t approach the throne at all.”

“Why that ?”

“It’s not… It’s not that she is bad, she is actually a very caring type of people, but I’m afraid her error of judgement will affect what she will decide next. Asgore was her mentor, he taught her everything he knew and she will pursue his work. Now, I knew that Asgore didn’t really plan to use the souls against the humans anymore, he kept saying this so people wouldn’t lose hope, but Undyne… Undyne will go for war, for revenge. And the fact is that we are only a few monster. If we’re getting out and attacking humans, we’re all dead. The thing is, I know she will never listen to me, even with evidences, she is too much stubborn for this. But I can assure you that Frisk didn’t kill Asgore.”

He reached for he pocket and put the piece of paper he found in Asgore’s clothes in front of Toriel. A smile appeared on her face as she followed the childish letters with her finger.

“I believe you, Sans.” she answered to reassure him. “I saw that child made their way out of the Ruins by flirting with Froggits and having a deep conversation with a dummy. They never hurt anyone, even when… When I tried to stop them from leaving.”

“Same for me.” answered Sans with a nostalgic smile. “I followed them from Snowdin to the doors of the royal garden, and all they were was kind and merciful. They even made Papyrus smiled again, for real, and I was scared that it was not possible to do so anymore. I’m sure they’ll coming back, they are capable to change things for the best. But if we want them to be welcoming as a friend, maybe it would be better if you could take the throne back. As least for now.”

“So… You mentioned you were a Concil member ?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m the Judge. Asgore said I was very talented for that, even if… Well, Undyne will probably jerk on my backbone a lot after that. I didn’t kill the kid in Snowdin and I kinda was the last one to see them before they entered the throne room. After that, I don’t know what happened between the King and the kid. I woke up in the Judgement Hall, and then I went to see if everything was alright and that’s where I found Asgore’s…. Well, you know.”

“I think you are being very harsh with yourself. You stayed loyal to our promise until the very end despite the difficulty of the situation. You can be very proud of yourself, and I want you to know that you have my eternal gratitude. And of course, my friend, I am going to help you. That is the least I can do for all the risky things I make you get through recently.”

She sipped some tea and sweeped a gaze at the living-room. She smiled at Sans.

“We should go then. The day is gonna be very long, old friend.”

##  *************

Out of breath, Papyrus didn’t remember he ran so much in one day before. The puzzles recalibration, the fight against the human, the training with Undyne, the sprint after her when she decided to get back to the King castle : it was a little too much for one skeleton, as handsome, great and athletic he was. His long red scarf fled behind him as the temperature was getting hotter and hotter. He hated Hotlands. 

Undyne was only a few feets away from him now, he could see his red quilt nodded on the rythm of the captain rageous steps. 

“Undyne ! Wait !” he begged, exhausted.

She turned slightly, rolled her eyes at him and continued her way on a quickier step. What Papyrus could see this brief moment on her face worried him even more. Tears had traced long furrows on his dark blue cheeks and her expression was the expression of someone in great distress. He never saw her like that, and it made him froze for a second. Undyne was always the one who the more confident of the both of them. He never thought she could one day be fragile, scared and sad. 

The other thing that worried him was that she was never gonna let him approach while she was showing a sign of weakness. Even if they both would have hate the comparison, Undyne was just like Sans in her all manner : she was giving the illusion to be strong and that she could overpass everything, but it was just a way to hide everything that went wrong. However, if Sans was drowning his anger and pain in an absolute silence, Undyne could rapidly get overwhelmed by her emotions and snapped in a blink of an eye.

The skeleton hesitated on the way of approach her. If he went frankly, she would instantly reject him. If he was too compassionate, she would yell at him that she didn’t want his pity. He turned that puzzle in his head again and again, but there wasn’t any solution where he could hold her back without hurt her more in the process. But in the meantime, he couldn’t disappoint Sans ! For once, he actually implicated him in one of his big problems. He wanted to prove to him that he could trust him so that, maybe, it will cheer him later to talk more on his feelings and secrets. But this was less urgent right now. One thing at the time, one logic element after the other. 

He pushed on his legs a little more and finally managed to catch Undyne arm. She stopped and looked at him. She was angry. He could read it in her eyes. That was not a good idea. He shouldn’t interfere. But he was also her friend ! He was going to handle this. Breath, Papyrus, breath.

“I… I wanted to say that I’m sorry.” he said with apprehension. “I know you really care about Asgore, but… Undyne, I think you are misjudging the situation. You are… You…”

Undyne dangerously got closer to his face. Even if she was technically a little smaller than him, she got on the point of her feet to have him in the eyes. Taken aback, Papyrus felt very uncomfortable. Before today, he always considered Undyne more as a friend that as her upper hierarchy boss. It was not his friend he had under the eyes, it was the Captain of the Royal Guard. Her harsh look, her face deformed by anger froze him in fear. 

She clenched her fists and Papyrus stepped backward. Was she gonna hurt him ? No, Undyne would never, right ? She was her friend. He felt his soul beating faster when she stepped forward and violently pull his scarf to her.

“What am I misjudging, Papyrus ?!” she assaulted him verbally. “Do you think I am overeacting ?! That I am angry ?! Yes, I am ! Of course, I am ! If I had killed that fucking human like I was supposed to, we wouldn’t be here today ! How can YOU be so fucking calm ?! We are not talking about a broken window, Papyrus ! The King is dead, the souls are gone and because of YOUR human friend we’re all doomed to wait for death here !”

“Undyne, please…”

“No ! Shut up !” Papyrus blenched, but she didn’t let go of his scarf. “I thought you would have learned a thing since I know you and now look where we are ! I never wanted to be friend with that murderer ! I done it only because of YOU ! Your brother were supposed to be the Judge, to stop him ! And you… YOU, you made a friend of it !”

She violently push him back. Papyrus overbalanced and fell on the back, panting. His head hurt a rock with so much force that, for a few second, he saw some sparks dancing in front of his eyesockets. His soul beat faster when she approached slowly, the eyes as dark as the night and spear in hand. Papyrus was terrified. She wasn’t herself. She wasn’t going to stop here.

“You want me to be honest with you ?! You’ll never be a royal guard, you hear me ? Royal guards don’t protect murderers. Royal guards don’t be fool like you are. That’s not naivety, that’s stupidity. I don’t want to see your face at my door ever again.”

“Undyne, please, stop…” he begged, tears in the eyes. “I know you are not like this ! You don’t think what you’re saying and you are angry. I want to help you ! Beat me up won’t resolve anything !”

“SHUT UP !” she yelled. She raised her hand and crushed her fist in his head. “You can’t help me !” She hit a second time. “No one can fucking help me !” 

Papyrus put his hands defensively in front of his face. “Please ! I don’t want to fight you !” he implored, the voice cracking. In two hits, she had ripped half of his life points. If she continued like this, she would kill me. “You are scaring me !” 

Undyne was about to throw her spear when she stopped. She brutally realised what she was about to do. She backed away like a lightning stroke her and slowly looked down at him. Her eyes went from her fists to Papyrus face, and then she released the grip on her spear. She let go an horrified sob and ran away.

The skeleton did nothing to hold her back this time. Everything had be said, and even if he would have wanted to, he didn’t have the force to argue with her again. He whined when he tried to seat. The right part of his face was badly hurting. He tapped the floor to find his phone and open the camera application. It was even more bad now. There was cracks all around the place where Undyne fist hit him, and some of them were going to the bad of his head. Some were leaking a orange liquid. That couldn’t be good. 

He felt his soul beat faster at the thought Sans was going to see this. There was no way he wouldn’t see this ! He had to find an excuse quickly. He tried to get up but a huge throbbing pain in his skull forced him to lay back on the floor. He cried of pain and whimpered. He tried to reach his heal magic, but it made the things worse. He didn’t have a choice. 

With regret, he opened his phone again and, with trembling hands, called Sans. It was better he knew now anyway. If he had find out by himself, only Asgore knew what he could have done to Undyne. And he couldn’t lay here eternally anyway. 

“Pap ?” he heard.

“Hey… S…”

He stopped and cough violently. More of that orange liquid fell out of his jaw. He laid his head on his arm and burst in tears from pain. 

“Pap ?! Papyrus ?! Papyrus, answer me ! What is happening ?! Where are you ?” panicked Sans. 

“It hurts, Sans” he cried. “It hurts so much… I… Hotlands, close to the… the lab…”

“I’m coming, ok big guy ? Don’t move and, uh, don’t close your eyes, ok ?”

“... Ok…”

He hanged up. Papyrus caught his legs and bring them back to his torso in an attempt to put himself in a fetal position. He was still panting. That was more and more worrying. 

Sans voice echoed somewhere near, screaming his name. He felt even worse. Not only he failed comforting Undyne, but now his brother was going to worry too. He lift weakly the head. Sans was at the edge of a little natural rock bridge he passed on sooner, a white silhouette that was strangely similar to Asgore was following him. When he made eye contact, Sans teleported next to him instantly, and started to palping him, panicked. 

“What happen to you ? Are you hurt ? You…”

His eyesockets went completely black when he discovered the cracks running all over his face. He put a finger on it and Papyrus whined painfully. Asgore, well, the lady that looked like Asgore, sat down next to him. She took gently but firmly Sans hand away, then raised Papyrus head on her knees. She put a hand on his front, the other one on his chest, and soon, an soothing magic started to regenerate his vitality. The pain went away a few second later and Papyrus let out a sigh of relief. Little by little, the cracks resorbed and he felt better.

“Is… Is he gonna be ok ?” asked Sans, who was holding his hand tight.

“Yes. I don’t know what happened, but you don’t get cracks like this just by falling on a rock. He has a very big head trauma. You are very tough and brave Papyrus, most monsters would have faint by now. I’m stabilizing him. He will be able to get up in a few minutes.”

“Sans ?” called Papyrus with a very pitiful voice. “Is it Lady Asgore ?”

“Her name is Toriel.” he giggled. “And she’s right. What happened to you ?”

Papyrus deflected the eyes, but Sans caught his jaw with his other hand and forced him to look at his brother.

“It’s Undyne, isn’t it ?” he asked aggressively.

“She… She didn’t want to… I know that was not what she wanted to do. She was just angry and maybe I pushed her to much and I-I-I hurt her more than I intended to and please, don’t be angry at her…”

“She hurt you very badly, Pap’ ! And worse, she literally abandoned you like this ! What shitty kind of friend is doing that ?! And what would have happened if you had faint, or if you didn’t have the force to call me or…” He took a second to calm the crack in his voice. “Angry or not, what she had just done to you is abject. She has no right to abuse you because she is in pain, you are not a punching ball.”

“Are you mad at me ?”

“What ? No ! Of course not ! I am mad at her ! She could have kill you Papyrus ! I’m not letting this go without consequences !”

Toriel put an hand on his shoulder. Sans was panting and out of breath.

“It’s ok, friend. There’s no need to hurt both of you more than necessarily, right ? We’re going to confront her when time will be at our advantage. You said we needed to see the royal scientist, right ? If my memories are still correct, it’s close. I think we should go before the Council.”

“Right.” answered Sans, reluctantly. “Let’s put you back on your legs, bro.”

With the help of Toriel and Sans - well, more Toriel than Sans -, Papyrus managed to get up. He was still shivering a little. The three of them walked slowly towards the lab.

“Nice to meet you, Lady Toriel.” suddenly said Papyrus on the way. “I am the great Papyrus. I’m so sorry for this absolutely non-pleasant meeting. I wish I could have been more presentable in front of the future queen.”

“Really nice to meet you too.” she answered, smiling. “I heard a lot about you. Your brother can be quite inexhaustible when he’s praising your prowesses. I can even said he is quite…”

“Oh no, I have such a bad feeling about this.”

“... Gagarus !” she giggled, Sans obviously following her.

“Nyeh ! I changed my mind, please let me here !” he took offense.

More relaxed, the three of them finally reached the laboratory. Things were about to get more complicated. 


	5. Chapter 4 : Extraordinary Council

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alphys is trying to comfort Undyne, but someone has a bone to pick with the angry sushi lady.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ! I wrote another chapter this week, so here it goes ! It’s still a very dramatic chapter. I hope you will enjoy it :D

###  **Chapter 4 : Extraordinary Council**

Undyne’s fist hammered Alphys’ laboratory door. The Captain of the Royal Guard was violently shaking, unable to hold the flaw of emotions that poured out in her any longer. She felt so guilty. Guilty for Asgore’s death, guilty for letting her anger fell on Papyrus when he was just trying to help her and above all, guilty for have done nothing to prevent everything that happened. It was her role to protect the King. She engaged for that mission in the first place. And now, how could she even look her people in the eyes ? She was a failure and a fraud.

The door slid to reveal the small lizard lady behind it. Alphys smiled to her with compassion and opened her arms, in which Undyne throw herself in and bursted in tears. Not used to see her girlfriend so emotional, the scientific was uncertain of what she could do to help. She led the devastated warrior on her pink padded office chair and heat up a box of cheese noodles in the microwave. She put the small box on a tray, next to a raspberry bubble tea and a tissue box on which Mew Mew Kissy Cutie was smiling cheeringly, then she brought it back to Undyne. When she was stressed out, Alphys needed to eat. She never saw her girlfriend like this before and just assumed it was the same thing for her.

The fish-lady didn’t even notice the intention. She swallows the integrality of the bubble tea in once. Uncomfortable, Alphys watched her in silence while dancing from one foot to the other without knowing herself why. The scientist played some times with her hands before she gathered enough bravery to talk, since Undyne was still silent, which was very far from normal for her. She always was her confident boost and seeing her like this broke her heart.

“I-I-I’m sorry. I should have t-tell you directly on-on the phone but… I was s-so scared you-you could react even worse that…”

“Don’t worry about that, Al’. I’m not mad at you. Everything is my fault. I never should have let this kid go. If we sticked to the plan… But no, Sans had to let him roam freely out of the Ruins and now…”

“D-Do you think that Frisk d-did this ?”

“Who else ? Don’t you have the recordings of the throne room ?”

She shook her head negatively, sorry. Undyne sighed and brought her knees against her chin. She stopped crying, but she didn’t feel more right than before. She knew she had to organise the Council and to get ready to rule, but everything was still looking so far away ! She wasn’t quite yet realising the consequences of Asgore’s death.

“Undyne… I-I think you should r-rest a little. You are t-tired and we still have to t-think about the Council.”

“I’m so scared, Al’. Everyone is counting on me, I know that, and if I’m taking a wrong decision, they’re all gonna… They… I’m not ready to do this. It’s too early. Why Asgore fucking had to die so suddenly ?!”

“Don’t-Don’t say that. I think y-you’re wrong. Asgore is p-preparing you for a very l-long time now. I believe in you. You are going to be a great queen. The monsters are t-trusting you, they know y-you are doing your best. Everything will be fine.”

“Then we should not wasting more time.” she answered with a sad voice. “Send the messages for the Council reunion. I want everyone in the King’s garden in two hours. I’ll rest later. You can make it public, they’ll know about it eventually, the sooner the better.”

The scientist nodded and approached the computer. She wrote a quick email and send it in the undernet virtual boxes of every monster in the Underground. Surprisingly, two “bips” could instantly be heard outside of the door lab, followed by two stong knocks against it. Alphys and Undyne exchanged a look and the scientist switched on the camera in front of the building. The fish lady gasped. Sans was standing there, the eye sockets blackened. Papyrus was behind him, supported by a ghost from the past, one she would have never thought to see one day, and certainly not today : Toriel Dreemur. She didn’t know what scared her the most : having to look Papyrus in the eyes or loosing the throne because Toriel wouldn’t let her even a chance to defend herself.

Alphys asked Undyne what to do with her eyes, anxious. She signed her to do it, but before the scientist could reach the computer, a skeleton hand stopped her. Sans, tired of waiting, invited himself in. He stayed silent, then very slowly, he raised the head towards the Captain of the Royal Guard.

“So, before I let them entered, I have two words to say to you.” he said with a terribly calm voice.

“S-Sans, that’s not… Let me explain. It…”

“Shut up.”

“It was an accident, I didn’t want to hurt him, I sw…”

“What the hell is wrong with you ? To be angry, I can understand. To doubt the kid, I can understand. But this ?”

“That’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Oh yeah ? And what am I suppose to think then ? That you simply screamed all these horrors at my brother’s face because he was deserving it ? He is blind-trusting you ! You know, I thought after all these years that, oh, I don’t know, that you cared about him and I could let him follow his dream to enter the Royal Guard because he was having fun… And at the first difficulty, you are ditching him like he is some sort of stupid dog that can’t understand he had been manipulated all along ?!”

Undyne lowered the head. He was right. Of course he was right, but she was far too proud to admit it.

“I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t do what I was doing anymore !”

“Oh yeah ? Well, congratulations ! You didn’t hurt him, you almost killed him instead ! If he didn’t have enough force to call me, he would have dust because you hit his skull so hard he loose half of his HPs !” Sans screamed, furious.

The skeleton flickered after his burst of voice, a hand on the skull. It was too much for his fragile soul in one day and he was starting to see some sparkles in front of his eyes. He closed his eyes a second and took a deep breath to calm down.

“Let me give you a first and last warning.” he said with a dark voice. “If you advised once again to dupe him into your sick games or if you ever raise your hand on him again, the Underground will be too small for hiding of what I’m going to do to you. Did I make myself clear ?”

Undyne swallowed and nodded in silence. Sans punched Alphys’ keyboard and the door lab finally opened. Papyrus detached from Toriel to withdraw. However, the goat lady helped him to sit down on the stairs with a kind smile. Worry, Undyne approached slowly.

“Pap’… I…”

“I know, I know.” he answered, waving her back. “I’m not mad at you.”

It was a big lie, she could read it in his eyes like in an open book, but he didn’t want to make the situation worse. Papyrus was always like this, kind and benevolent, but it didn’t mean he had to accept everything. Undyne wanted him to be mad at her. He had all rights to. But the fact he didn’t was almost more horrible than the contrary. She was feeling so guilty. Her gaze strayed on the fine cracks on his skull. They were shining, a sign that he received a healing spell not so long ago. 

Undyne turned the head towards Toriel, who was watching her with a severe expression, then searched for Alphys. Tetanized by Sans’ lecture, she hid behind the fridge, hoping that everyone calmed down by themselves and forgot her. 

“So anyway, what are you doing here ?” Undyne asked to Toriel, with a far more controled and cold voice. “I thought you were dead or something.” she add, hardly hiding her contempt.

“My dear friend, Sans, warned me about what happened to my hus… to Asgore. I heard that you were caring a lot about him and I am very sorry for your loss. Despite what legends said about me, I am still caring for my people and I came out to take back in hands the future of the Underground.”

Undyne meanly sniggered and the atmosphere tensed in a few seconds.

“I beg your pardon ?” Undyne spat. “You disappeared for fifty years and you thought you could come back like this, take the throne and do like nothing happened ? Where the hell were you even when that damn brat fell down and murdered Asgore ?”

“Frisk didn’t murder anyone.” she answered calmly. “And if you were not obsessed so much by your anger, you would believe that too. You should be ashame of doubting them like that. They didn’t raise a hand on anyone during all the time he spend here. We can’t say the same thing of everyone in this room.”

“If someone had done his job correctly at the exit of the Ruins, nobody wouldn’t have to be hurt at all.”

“Sorry, pal.” Sans answered innocently. “I’m more loyal to my morals than to the Royal Guard. And anyway, Papyrus worked hard on these puzzles, it would have be a shame if he didn’t have an opportunity to show how cool he is.”

The warrior replied with a dark gaze, but the skeleton, not at all impressed, just shrugged and smiled smirkly. 

“Frisk didn’t kill Asgore, Undyne.” intervened Papyrus. “We found a paper on the King clothes. They went on the Surface to get help for us.”

“Oh my god, I can’t believe how naive you all are.” Undyne sighed. “Pap’, the kid betrayed us all, ok ? They absorbed Asgore soul and took time to break all the Souls container. They are not coming back. And more, if they was really innocent, why is there no recording of the fight ?”

“Frisk left a paper.” answered back Papyrus, the voice determinate. “I believe in them. They are coming back.”

Sans teleported between her and his brother. He said nothing, but the message was cleared : back off. Undyne stepped backwards, uneasy. Papyrus didn’t abandon however, used to how his brother muffled him constantly. Usually, he would make a remark about it, but after what happened, he just begged Undyne silently to believe him too. He couldn’t do anything more. If the future of the monsterkind had to rest in her hands, she had to listen to him. They couldn’t risk an other war just on a misjudging mistake !

“I summoned the Council.” she announced, changing the subject. “We’ll talk of this later, but I will not let things happened and do nothing to prevent it.” she warned Toriel. “Everybody knows you ran away because you were a coward and didn’t want to kill humans, but now that a human killed the King, good luck to convince monsters that your pacifist shit is going to get them out of here. Let’s go, Al’. We’re going.”

Alphys hesitated, but quickly gathered her stuff and followed Undyne out of the lab, leaving Toriel, Sans and Papyrus behind. The small skeleton turned towards his brother.

“You’re going home. I won’t be here before late in the night.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you ?”

“I would love to, Pap’, but unfortunately, there are rules that are saying I can’t. The sushi is already burning in the oven, we better stand back a bit for now. Don’t watch Mettaton shows too late, don’t forget to brush your teeth and eat some spaghettis. And sleep. You heard what Toriel said, you have to rest. Ok, bro ?”

Papyrus vaguely growled something back, arms crossed, sulky. Sans opened a shortcut and let him go. Once he made sure his brother reached Snowdin, he closed it behind him. He fell on Undyne’s now empty seat and sighed loudly. 

Toriel leaned a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s get this over with, my friend, so everyone can finally rest. Once I get the throne back, I will make sure you don’t have to worry so much anymore for you and your brother, I promise. After all, I don’t know a lot of people down here who would have taken so much risks to save a human just because a stranger voice asked him too behind a magic door. You are a good person, Sans. And I’m sure that, in a near future, we’re all going to laugh about this under a big blue sky.”

“I hope you’re right, really. Because I don’t know if I can stay the eternity in this shitty place any longer.”

She gave her hand to him and the skeleton took it and got back on his feet. Both of them left the lab to join the castle, hoping for better days to come. 


	6. Chapter 5 : Cloudy past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk is waiting at the police station for someone to take them in charge. It's time to have a serious conversation with Asgore and Chara about some little things of their past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tuesdays are sucking, so here’s a chapter to make it less sucking ! Well… This chapter is not really a relaxing one either. Sorry not sorry.

###  **Chapter 5 : Cloudy past**

Laying on a dirty custody cell mattress, Frisk was silent. They were looking at the ceiling, absent-minded, and they were trying their best to ignore the pain in their forearms. They didn’t make it easy for the two policemen. After the inspectors dragged them by force in the car, they couldn’t make them out. The kid had screamed, clawed, bit, and since they were unable to calm them down, they locked them behind a window like a wild animal. Frisk had yelled, hit the glass, cried, but nobody came back for them. After a while, annoyed, they simply laid on the bench and they were now waiting for something to happen.

At least, the kid wasn’t all alone. Asgore and Chara, as tired as them, were sitting against the wall too. They were talking about a new way to getting out of here, but Frisk wasn’t listening anymore. They were exhausting. By the long journey in the Underground, by the town wandering, by the arrest… It was far too much to bear for a eight years old child. 

A muffled sob escaped their throat, capturing their companions attention. Chara got up and gently came to sit next to them. They tried to put a hand on their shoulder to comfort them, but it passed through their body.

“I should have wait a little longer… Sans… Sans would have know what to do. Perhaps he is believing too that I killed Asgore, and even him is gonna hate me…”

“Of course not.” Chara assured. “Your damn comedian have a musty sense of humor, but he is more clever than most of the monsters. You know, when he threatened us at MTT Resort of the promise he had done, I think he was talking about Momm… Toriel. And I think he knows who she is now. If he is not too stupid, by now, he went to ask her to take back the throne. I’m sure he’s going to wait after you behind the Barrier like a poodle, with his brother.”

A half-smile lightened slightly Frisk’s face. Chara was not really good at the comforting people thingy. They were more the type to scream and to let go sarcastic lines in the disastrous situations. During their travel in the Underground, Chara had been a precious ally, but also a very unpredictable person, like when they screamed contrary orders when Undyne was chasing them, leading Frisk to a lot of deaths. A few dozens actually. By chance, thanks to their determination, they were able to go back in time. 

Oh, but of course ! They just had to go back in time ! They concentrated and tried to visualize the strange lighting menu that was appearing when they were using their determination in the Mountain. Unfortunately, nothing happened. Not one ray of light. Distraught, the child put an instinctive hand to his chest, where they knew their soul was hiding.

“Chara, I… I can’t access to my save files anymore !” Frisk panicked. “How am I… What can I do if I…”

“Calm down, that’s not that serious for now. It might just be a consequence of what happened when you absorbed my father’s soul. I remember that when Asr… my brother…” they corrected themselves with a nervous look towards Asgore. “When my brother absorbed my soul, he immediately lost some of his powers and other appeared instead. I couldn’t have access to my determination anymore too. Which is mostly why I’m here with you today.”

“This is possible.” Asgore answered with sad eyes. “During the Great War, some humans and monsters bonded together. It didn’t bother us, but the humans… Well, it’s past history now.” he sighed. “When a human and a monster souls are bonding together, their most important traits and magic colors are bonding too to form one soul that can be share by two people, more powerful. Absorbing a soul work like that too. When a monster absorbed a human soul, their force is tenfold, and that’s… Well, that’s the reason why I started collected them in the first place. However, I don’t know what could happening in the other way. Monsters souls don’t last long after death, except for Boss Monsters, and only if they are absorb very quickly like you did. This is a very first one. Maybe you will develop some of my powers at long term, I don’t know.”

Frisk winced. That wasn’t very reassuring. Having powers didn’t bother them, it was even very cool, but developing them here when their own people were already thinking he was crazy ? Definitely not a good idea. The priests that pushed them to run in the Underground in the first place wouldn’t like that at all. A sacrificed that escaped the day before their execution was already a blasphemy, but if Frisk reappeared alive, with stories about monsters, magic and powers, the child would not last long. They weren’t very old, but they knew what could happen to heretics. Strangulation, drowning, the pyre were not the objectives they had in mind for the end of their life.

They looked at Chara. Was it why the fell in the Mountain too ? Frisk didn’t know much about them apart from what they read on the Waterfall’s signs and by what the monsters said around New Home. Chara was always avoiding the subject when Frisk tried to talk about their ancient life. The child guessed by now that their past weren’t very happy either. On the old photos at Toriel’s place, Chara didn’t look very comfortable, their long brown hair covering their bloody red and definitely unusual eyes. Rejected by humanity ? Accidental falling ? A lot of questions and not so many answers. Maybe they needed more time to confess. After all, even if it seemed an eternity, Frisk met Chara only a few days ago.

The questions would wait however. If Frisk had to spend the rest of their life with Asgore and Chara, they better kept some conversations topics for later.

The cellule door creaked and opened on the inspector Cassano. He was holding a plate in one hand. He approached and crouched in front of them.

“I brought you food. You must be hungry after wandering so long in the streets. Miss Iris Vonichelle is coming to get you. She will be here in a few hours.” Frisk looked very alarmed at the news. “She identified you and said you escaped dormitories a few days ago. Can you explain me why ?”

“I heard her talk. She wanted to sell me to the priests for the sacrificial ritual ! She said no one would miss me because I didn’t know my parents and I haven’t a lot of friends.”

“I see, Marian. But I think that…”

“Frisk !” screamed the kid, angry. “My name is Frisk !”

“Yeah, whatever. I think you misunderstood what she said. Don’t worry, she is going to take care of you until your majority.”

The kid didn’t answer and looked away. The worst turn of events possible had happened. Frisk tried to keep their composure, but their hands shook. 

Cassano sighed. He dropped off the plate next to the child and left the room. The door slammed like a death sentence. 

“There is no way she is coming to get me.” whispered Frisk. “I don’t want to go back there. I have to… We have to go. If I’m forced to have a family, I’m choosing Toriel. I don’t care to live Underground, I just want… I just want Toriel…”

“Eh, you won’t be alone, you know ?” Chara cheered them. “You succeeded to escape one, maybe we can make it a double, right ? They can’t just hold you against your will.”

“No, this is worse than that… When she will learn what I did, she is going to lock me in the Asylum, and… That’s really not a good place to be. I don’t want to go back in it.” they said, bringing their knees against their chin. “I want to go home at Toriel’s place… I want to eat Papyrus’ horrible spaghettis and dance with Mettaton. I can’t go back in there !” The child sniffed loudly and tears flowed the long of their cheeks.

Asgore got up and tried to sit on the bench. He passed through and sighed. However, even on the ground, he was still far bigger than the child. With a clumsy hand, he tried to pat their head to comfort them. Frisk appreciated the attempt, but nothing he could have say would have change the situation.

“I am sure that my wife will gladly welcoming you.” he said with a sweet voice. “If this is what you want, of course. But for now, it’s better if you can stay in a safe place for a while, don’t you think ? A child shouldn’t have to live outside by themself and I would feel so guilty to force you to froze on the difficult nights without a way of help you feel better. That orphanage can’t be that bad, right ?”

“You don’t understand… The orphanage is not the Asylum. They… They are doing things to people. Bad things. Those who entered the Asylum never get back, or, if they are, everything is… different. I know that. I spend time in it. And what they did to me…”

“What did they do to you ?” asked Chara, with a bad presage look.

Frisk shook of disgust and hold more tightly their legs. They paused, uncertain, before they got up. The child lift their sweater, revealing to Asgore and Chara the result of the three weeks they spend in that place. When they turned around after a few second, Chara’s eyes were burning with hatred and anger, while Asgore stayed frozen, in shock. Frisk’s back was streaked with old badly stitched scars, that were giving relief to their skin.

They hid them back quickly under their damaged sweater and sat back.

“Doing that to a child…” said Asgore for himself. “What barbarians...”

“But… Why did they do that ? What did you do wrong ?” Chara exclaimed, revolted.

“I asked people to call me Frisk.” answered the child with a low voice. “Vonichelle said that I was possessed by the devil and that he gave me a second identity to punish me. She locked me in the Asylum until I’d been force to say that everything was false and that the devil had left me. After that, no one ever talked to me at the orphanage, because they were scared of what she would have said if they got too close from me. They were scared to catch my devil and to go to the Asylum. After that, I decided not to talk anymore, and three months later…”

“That’s when she tried to get rid of you.” understood Chara.

“Yes. She sold me to the Cult, so I can be sacrificed and purified forever. I ran away before she could delivered to me, but they found my trace again. I got scared, I ran towards the Mountain, always straight forward. So much straight forward that I missed that huge hole on the floor and crashed ten meters down without any scratch somehow.”

They smiled at the memory of what happened next. If Flowey didn’t have made things going so wrong, maybe they would be at the fireside with Toriel by now, with a part of cinnamon-butterscotch pie. 

Frisk felt exhausted. With a sigh, they took the plate the officer left for them. Fries and ham, a small water bottle and a bag of candy. That could have been worse. They started to eat in silence, without great appetite. Under the plate, they found two ketchup bags that broke their heart a little more. 

“If I stayed in the Ruins like Toriel said so, none of that would have happened.”

“Stop blaming yourself.” Chara answered. “You couldn’t stay eternally with Mom, you know that.”

After the small meal, Frisk decided to sleep for a few hours. The wood bench was not comfortable, but they could rest some times. They were needing thins.

In the evening, the door cell creaked again and two voices could soon be heard. Frisk straightened to face them, gloomy. Inspector Cassano was back with an old lady dressed in a black gown. She had the jowls of a bulldog and the face wrinkled like a shar pei. She was stunted and stood like a hunchback, supported by a knobstick. Behind her bottle-bottom glasses, she was glaring at them meanly. Frisk would have love to disappear from existence once again. She was as happy to see them alive that they were to see her again.

“Good evening, Frisk. Miss Vonichelle is here to lead you to the orphanage. Can you follow us ?”

“Marian.” corrected the old woman, exasperated.

Frisk didn’t react as quickly as she wanted, so she entered the cell and grabbed their wrist with so much force that the child fled out of the bench. They resisted, under the powerless eyes of Asgore and Chara, but she dragged them to the hall. Frisk struggled violently and managed to bite her hand, forcing her to let go. Driven with hope, they rushed to the door to escape the police station. Locked. Resigned, they slowly turned towards their tormentor. Vonichelle was not happy. Without any shame, she raised her hand and slapped their face.

“You small spoiled rotten brat !” she screamed angrily. “I didn’t educate you that way. This is not so surprising no one ever wanted you back ! Sloven, runaway, impolite, liar, crazy… You will never integrate the society properly. You are a failure.”

“Don’t touch me !” screamed Frisk when she tried to grab them again.

The old crow saw red. She caught the child by the hair and pushed them outside. Frisk yelled and tried to hit her, in vain. She wasn’t letting go ! From the corner of their eye, they saw Chara turning around them again and again. They were crying. They wanted to help, they really wanted to help, but under this form, there was nothing they could do. As best she can, Miss Vonichelle threw Frisk in the car. The child rushed to the opposite car door, but the driver saw them and locked it in front of their eyes. Vonichelle sat at the front and turned a flaming gaze towards them.

“What a shame ! If you think I will let you run away and humiliate me in public, you are wrong ! You know nothing of what I’m able to do to you ! You’ll see what you will see, Marian.”

“My name is Frisk !” yelled the child.

She slapped them again.

“Do not answer me, you little idiot ! I can see that you remembered nothing of the last time ! You are going back to the Asylum, and this time, I’ll make sure you are never getting out !”

Frisk wanted to replicate, but calmed down instead. There was no need to aggravate their case. However, they didn’t lowered the head before she did. They were determined to run away, whatever how long it would take. Vonichelle couldn’t stop them for long. They were going back to the Underground and no one would prevent them to do so.


End file.
